Workers angry over colleague’s death, block highway to protest

Agitated colleagues have blocked the Dhaka-Chittagong highway over the death of a female worker at a factory in Madanpur, Narayanganj. This has caused severe traffic congestion on both lanes of the highway. Commuters are suffering. Today, Monday (November 3), at 10:15 am, workers of a garment factory named Lorij Fashion in Madanpur Union of the upazila blocked the highway.
In this regard, Industrial Police Inspector (Detective) Selim Badsha told us that on Sunday (November 2) night, a swing machine operator named Rina (30), working at a garment factory named Lorij Fashion, suddenly fell. At around 9:30 pm, her colleagues and workers took her to the nearby Isha Kha Clinic for treatment, where the doctor on duty examined her and sent her to Dhaka Medical College. Later, when she was taken to the emergency department, the doctor on duty declared her dead. The workers claim that he was not given timely treatment. The deceased Rina is the daughter of Dulal Mia of Pakundia upazila of Kishoreganj district.
Meanwhile, the workers blocking the road are claiming that the owner is responsible for the death of their colleague. Despite being sick, they did not give them leave and he died due to lack of treatment. They have started a movement demanding the arrest of the owners’ officials.
When contacted, ‘Laris Fashion’ CO Shimul said, “Yesterday, when one of our workers fell ill, he was immediately taken to a local hospital. When his physical condition deteriorated there, he was taken to Dhaka Medical Hospital and died there. This is not our negligence. We tried our best and our company did everything necessary to complete the burial after the death. However, the workers of our company are demanding that the people in charge of that floor be dismissed. We have agreed to that too. But they have still started the movement.”
Liaquat Ali, officer-in-charge (OC) of Bandar Police Station, said the workers blocked the road demanding that the garment owners be held responsible for the death of their colleague. Later, members of all forces including the industrial police, army and RAB went to the spot, persuaded the workers and removed them from the highway at around 12:15 pm. Later, traffic on the road returned to normal.